greysmom

I had greys for several years before I found this forum. And I've learned so much here that I didn't know I even needed to know! Even with a good vet, and helpful greyhound mentors only a phone call away, the support and base of knowledge that the people here provide is tremendously useful and comforting. Adding my thanks to everyone! greysmom

It's good to have a plan!!! Make sure to keep a log from now on: pheno dosage when given any reactions or new behaviors complete description of ANY seizure activity - day, time, length, severity, time to full recovery All this info can help in refining her meds. Our Libby had seizures like you describe - her muscles would spasm and she would fall over, every muscle in her body would tense up and she would sometimes curl in peculiar positions. They were fairly mild, and lasted exactly 8 minutes from start to finish. She'd be back to her old self within 30 minutes or so. We monitored her seizures for 3 years coming about 6 weeks apart before she began clustering and needing medication. The pheno worked wonders for her and she didn't have another seizure after we started the meds. Most greys with idiopathic seizures can live long, healthy, happy, active lives. So your girl is going to be fine! greysmom

Mild seizures can look like other things - bad muscle spasms, charlie horse, even bloat - and it's very hard to tell just from observation, though most bloodtests don't show anything either. If her muscles are spasming she could be low in potassium or another trace element, and that would show up. If she has another one before morning you should take her in asap. That would mean she's clustering and might need medical help to stop the cycle. Unfortunately, most seizures in greys are idiopathic. The good part is that they can be very well controlled with either valum, phenobarbital, potassium bromide or a combination of meds. It may take a little while to figure out the right dose. Another thing to help her is to put a cold pack on her head/neck to help keep her cool. Look up poster "EmilyAnne" as she has a nice blog in her signature about her grey Henry and his seizures. greysmom

Probably just normal coat-blowing. Though I have to add, that Dude was actually getting too much thyroid and had a very very thin hair coat with extensive balding patches. Once we took him off the soloxine his hair thickened up nicely. He's still bald, but not quite so much now. greysmom

We use the pet safe mint-based product too, with really good success. The house smells like a gum factory, but the funniest reaction is the cats. If you have a catnip affected cat (some just aren't and some get high!) this stuff will put them over the edge. My one cat runs around looking stoned for a couple hours. That's the worst that happens! greysmom

OMG!!! Sure, any infection can cause a low grade fever. And it explains why he got better on doxy, but not completely better - the yeast infection probably wouldn't be touched by it. I can't even tell you how glad this makes me!! Hopefully, this is what you've been looking for for more than a year now. YEAH RUDY!!!!! greysmom

First, the couch! Next, THE WORLD!!!!! All mine are allowed wherever they want unless the space is already occupied. Dude got on the furniture the first hour he was in the house and now has his own chair - though he shares that with Toni now. Copper and Cash only get on our bed, but only want to stay there until we come to bed. Dude (and Toni sometimes) is the only one allowed to sleep with us through the night. Also, if they get growly or possessive they have to get down right away and are not allowed back on until I say so. greysmom

As far as the hair growth goes, I assume she's been tested for thyroid issues as it's one of the symptoms. Though with the absence of other symptoms, I would say that some greyhounds are just less hair-y than others. I have two that are real fluff balls, one with som typical greyhound pattern baldness (backs of thighs, belly and neck) and one with almost no hair on his lower half, and all are normal for greys. For the hot spot there are two thoughts. Number 1 is to use some hydrocortisone cream or spray right on the spot. Most anti-itch medication (OTC) will help stop the itch topically. Bad part about them is they can also add to the hotspot situation by not drying out the spot - which is the problem in getting it to heal. If you can find one in spray form it'll probably help more. Thought number 2 is to use some Milk of Magnesia on the spot. Someone just recently posted this remedy which made m remember it! Just dab some one the spot twice a day and let it dry. The T-shirt is a good idea as she needs to not itch at it as much as possible. Though if it's on her side you might consider some non-stick gauze pads and vet wrap for more secure coverage. Also keep her muzzle on when you're gone. It'll help some too even though most can still lick through the muzzle. Good luck! greysmom

In Silver's case it might not be the actual numbers but the drop in levels that is pertinent. 0.7 isn't necessarily low for a greyhound, but the .6 drop in a year seems significant. Especially along with the onset of new symptoms. I forget which vet school it is that specializes in GH thyroid issues - not Dr Couto, though they will read lab tests too - I think it's a woman vet from MSU. Someone posted her contact info a week or so ago. Maybe that poster will do so again! greysmom

YEAH!!!!! GOOD NEWS!!! That's super! I'm so glad that she's doing well with everything else you've been dealing with! (Not to hijack Lola's thread, but how's the doxy working for Rudy?) greysmom

You also might try putting an upside down bowl or big cup in his food bowl so that he has to slow down. It's an easy fix and you'll know the first or second meal if it's made a difference. Vet check might still be in order, so get it scheduled! greysmom

Toni came to us on Science Diet and her poops were almost liquid-y. They firmed right up once we switched foods. Seconding the puppy food idea. Puppy foods have more calories and fat and helps them gain weight faster. Some people here aso swear by something called "Satin Balls" to help dogs put on weight. You can search for that term and find several threads with recipes. Good luck! greysmom

Clomicalm is usually the first drug tried for dogs with severe anxiety, whether for SA or generalized anxiety disorder. It doesn't work the same for every dog, just like every drug doesn't work for every person. I agree that a proper dosage should NOT make him completely comatose - glassy staring eyes, and laying limply on the floor, no interest in on-going activities. Even for a severe anxiety reaction you should not drug a dog up that much. You can't just not give it to him though as it does need to be tapered off. Please discuss this with your vet asap. He may still need medication support, but that does sound like too much. If he was an only grey in his previous home, and is now in a home with another grey companion, the reason for his being medicated - supposed SA - might not apply anymore. It would be nice to have some more info from his former family, but they may not be forthcoming. Your group should keep this in mind when finding him his new home. Good luck! greysmom

Greysmom - what do you DO with the Rescue Remedy to help Dude? Rescue Remedy is a homeopathic liquid that is actually made for people. It has a calming effect during anxiety attacks, and does help with Dude's reverse sneezing. It comes with a little dropper in the bottle and I just put a squirt on his tongue and it calms him right down. It usually happens to him when he gets overheated - playing hard, or even in the hot weather, or when he's been digging a lot. He can have multiple attacks that last ten minutes or more each if I don't get the RR into him. It bothers us much more than it seems to bother him. Though he can get distressed if it lasts a long time as he can't catch his breath. It's not usually that serious though. greysmom

Two thoughts First - only you know what you can deal with comfortably at home. Some people just can't doctor their own hound and there's nothing wrong with taking them in - ever! Generally, If it's large, jagged with hanging skin, more than superficial/skin deep, OR if it gets larger over time - it needs to be seen by a vet if only to pick up some antibiotics and to get cleaned and debrided. Stitching is not always needed, even with large rips, if it's in a spot that gets pulled with normal movement as the stitches will just fail. They usually can't be redone since the wound looses more skin in the process, and you're back to home management anyway. Second - If you're really wanting to be prepared for anything the Red Cross has a great Pet First Aid course. It's relatively cheap and you'll feel better able to deal with emergencies if you have some training. Good luck! greysmom

Sounds like reverse sneezing - something that a lot of greys do including all my four to varying degrees. Some Rescue Remedy helps Dude when h's having a bad attack that goes on for several minutes. Do a search for "reverse sneeze" or "reverse sneezing" for a ton of more info. greysmom

Yeah Sadie! That's AWESOME!!! greysmom

Yeah LeeLee!!!!!!! Way to go guy!! Is he on a stomach acid reducer? Libby started Pepcid I think (it was one of those for people) and it made a big difference in how well she ate. greysmom

A 0.9 is really a pretty good reading for greyhounds. In the absence of other symptoms, I would not begin thyroid supplementation for her. Dude was on thyroid when he came to us, and we actually stopped his meds last summer. His readings have been consistently around 0.9 and he is completely symptom free. His problem was getting too much thyroid - hyperactivity, inability to gain weight, inability to concentrate, very high normal body temperature. So over-medicating is an issue with greys. greysmom

Dude licks his shoulder, his leg, his bed, my leg, the DH - anything handy! - after he gets peanut butter. Copper and Toni will sometimes, Cash never does. I always thought he was cleaning the PB off his tongue! greysmom

The worst thing the Benadryl would do is make him really sleepy - and that sounds like a good thing! Check the label and see what the dosage is for his weight. You might want to start out at 1/2 a dose since you don't know how he's going to respond. I get Rescue Remedy at our local Kroger in the "health and organic" section. It's actually amde for human consumption so if nothing else you can try it out yourself! I don't know the difference between a B-12 shot and supplements (which you can get anywhere). Though again, it can't hurt to try. hugs chris

Poor Rudy! I keep hoping that something will turn up! But I agree with the above who suggested just giving him the Doxy. At this point, I would go with whatever works. If you want to see if stress is contributing, you can start off with some OTC products. They don't always work for every dog and you still may get to prescriptions. You can try Benadryl (give him dosage by weight), melatonin, DAP (Dog Appeasing Pheromone), Rescue Remedy (an herbal people anxiety potion which does help my spook). One advantage with these is that the results - whether they're going to work or not - are pretty immediate. Most prescription anti-anxiety meds take a week or more to begin having a prophylactic effect. But if you see some improvement on any of them it may be an indication that a prescription for Clomicalm/Valium/Xanax would be worth a try. Talking about the Benadryl also made me think of allergies. I can't remember if he was allergy tested or not in all of this, but some of the symptoms could point that way - his goopy ears, the red bumps, being better on Doxy, the sores. Maybe trying the Benedryl would be a double good thing. Hugs and kisses for Rudy and for you and your DH (and Lola too!) chris

More good wishes for you and your family! greysmom

This too shall pass! Just watch to make sure he continues to go OK. It's possible but unlikely that there will be a problem. greysmom

Was his stomach hard and drum-like last night or soft to the touch? I would suspect some sort of bloating incident as pacing, whining, panting, and asking to go potty and not going are classic symptoms. That plus his current gaseous state seems to point to a gas build up. Did your vet intubate his stomach? Did she ask if you'd given or suggest you should give Max a Tums or other anti-gas medicine? How is he now? Hopefully he'll get all the gas out of his system, though it won't be fun for the people in the sae room! I would also fast him for a meal or two (though follow your vets advice). Good luck! greysmom